The First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Korniienko, as a member of the Supervisory Board of the Higher School of Public Administration, joined the meeting, where the results of work for the first half of 2024 were presented.
At the beginning of his speech, he noted: "The Higher School is becoming a hub for the development of public servants – this is definitely an advantage in the face of modern challenges."
During the meeting, the First Vice-Speaker stressed the importance of professional development not only for civil servants, but also for local government officials, including starostas. He emphasised that significant progress has already been made over the past six months, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the retraining programmes.
The topic of cooperation with international partners, in particular with the European Union, who are ready to support the development of the public service in Ukraine, was also raised. One of the key aspects of such cooperation is improving foreign languages and practical knowledge of European law. "We also need to work on education in the area of European law and European integration," he added
"One of the criteria for Ukraine's membership in the EU is the readiness of public administration to do so. It is important to cooperate with U-LEAD and relevant projects, to build capacity, in particular, we always talk about language skills. But the next level is European law. And not academic, but practical," said the First Vice-Speaker.
He also stressed the importance of providing technical assistance from international partners, especially in the context of European integration.
The issue of local self-government development was also brought up for discussion. The First Vice-Speaker emphasised the need to increase the number of managers who are able to formulate and apply for international projects. According to Oleksandr Korniienko, this will allow Ukrainian citizens to participate more actively in international competitions and projects.
At the end of the meeting, the politician called for intensifying efforts to find new programmes and opportunities for the development of a new generation of public servants, in particular through cooperation with the European Union and other international partners. "Our partners have promised to support us with technical projects. Therefore, I called for intensifying work both with those who have already confirmed our support and looking for opportunities to participate in other programmes," the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stressed.